Vintage Brown 1917-1918 WWI S.B. FOOT TANNING CO. Leather Lace Up BootsVintage Brown 1917 1918 WWI S. B. FOOT TANNING CO. Leather Lace Up Boots Through extensive research, we were able to find out, these boots came from the S. B. Foot Tanning Company in 1917 1918. This company was usually a leather supplier for big shoes companies like Red Wing Shoes; but during World War I, the United States Military needed all hands on deck to create boots for all the army officers. So, during 1914 to 1918, S. B. Foot Tanning Co.